Apparatus and method for particle removal by forced fluid convection.

摘要

An apparatus and method for removing contaminant particles from a surface, such as a semiconductor wafer (12), using the effect of a phase change of a condensate fluid, from liquid to solid form, on the adhesion force between a contaminant particle and a surface. Contaminant particles (172) are removed from a surface by wetting the particles with a thin film (20) of a removal fluid of a type that exhibits a volume expansion during a liquid to solid phase change, and then freezing the removal fluid to cause such expansion . Frozen material (21) including contaminant particles (172) is then removed from the surface by melting and throw-off of frozen material. Steam may be used for both the removal fluid and for melting the frozen material.